La Crema Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon

La Crema Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon is a 750ml, approximately 13.9% ABV Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from cool-climate vineyards across Sonoma County, California. What distinguishes this bottling is La Crema's longstanding commitment to cool-climate viticulture — an approach more commonly associated with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay — applied here to Cabernet Sauvignon, yielding a wine with more restraint and herbal complexity than the typical California Cab.

Quick Facts: ABV: ~13.9%  |  Origin: Sonoma County, California, USA  |  100% Cabernet Sauvignon  |  Producer: La Crema Winery

Production & Heritage

La Crema was founded in 1979 in Petaluma, California, and was acquired by Jackson Family Wines in 1993. The winery built its reputation on cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from appellations like the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast, making its expansion into Cabernet Sauvignon a deliberate extension of that terroir-driven philosophy. The Sonoma County Cabernet is fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak barrels — a combination of new and seasoned cooperage — for roughly 10 to 14 months, lending structure without overpowering the fruit. Sourcing across multiple Sonoma County vineyard sites allows the winemaking team to blend for balance, capturing the diversity of the broader appellation.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ripe blackberry and dark cherry emerge first, followed by layers of dried sage, bay leaf, and a faint whiff of cedar. A subtle graphite minerality develops with time in the glass.

Taste: The entry is smooth with concentrated black currant and plum. At the mid-palate, dried herb notes mingle with baking spice and a touch of vanilla from oak aging. The tannin structure is moderate and well-integrated, giving the wine a lifted, food-friendly acidity rather than the heavy extraction common in warmer-climate California Cabernets.

Finish: Medium-length with lingering dark fruit, a hint of mocha, and fine-grained tannins that taper cleanly. A subtle herbal note persists, echoing the Sonoma County terroir.

How to Drink La Crema Cabernet

This wine performs well at slightly below room temperature, around 60–65°F, and benefits from 20 to 30 minutes of breathing in the glass or a brief decant. It is entirely approachable on its own but rewards pairing with food. In a Cabernet Cobbler, the wine's herbal edge plays beautifully against fresh citrus and ginger syrup. A straightforward red wine sangria built with stone fruit and cinnamon leverages the wine's dark fruit core. For a simple wine spritzer on warm evenings, the moderate tannins and bright acidity hold up well with a splash of sparkling water and a twist of orange peel.

Best For

• Weeknight dinners where you want a serious wine without breaking the budget
• Hosting a casual gathering with a crowd-pleasing, versatile red
• Gifting to someone who enjoys California wine but gravitates toward subtlety over power
• Building a home collection with reliable, appellation-driven Sonoma County reds

Frequently Asked Questions

What does La Crema Cabernet taste like? It delivers concentrated dark fruit — blackberry and black currant — layered with dried herbs, baking spice, and a touch of vanilla from French oak aging. The tannins are moderate and smooth, with a clean, medium-length finish.

How does La Crema Cabernet compare to Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon? Both are Sonoma County Cabernets in a similar price tier, but La Crema generally shows a more herbal, cooler-climate profile with moderate tannins, while Rodney Strong tends toward riper, more concentrated dark fruit and a fuller body from its Alexander Valley and Sonoma County vineyard sources.

Is La Crema Cabernet good for sipping neat? Yes — its balanced tannin structure and bright acidity make it approachable on its own without food, especially after a few minutes of airing out in the glass.

Where is La Crema Cabernet made? La Crema Winery is based in Sonoma County, California, and has been part of Jackson Family Wines since 1993. The Cabernet Sauvignon fruit is sourced from vineyards throughout the Sonoma County appellation.

What foods pair well with La Crema Cabernet? Grilled lamb chops complement the wine's herbal character. Aged Gruyère or sharp cheddar balances the tannins with fat and salt. Braised short ribs mirror the wine's depth and structure. Roasted portobello mushrooms echo its earthy undertones. Dark chocolate with sea salt highlights the mocha finish.

What sizes does La Crema Cabernet come in? The standard bottling is 750ml, which is the most widely available format.

Is La Crema Cabernet worth the price? It positions as an accessible premium Sonoma County Cabernet, sitting above entry-level California Cabs but well below the ultra-premium Sonoma and Napa bottlings. For its price tier, the cool-climate complexity and food versatility represent solid value.

Why La Crema Cabernet?

La Crema's identity has been defined by cool-climate winemaking since 1979, and this Cabernet Sauvignon is a direct expression of that philosophy applied to a grape more commonly associated with warmer valleys. The result is a Sonoma County Cabernet with genuine herbal complexity and measured tannins rather than the sheer density found in many California Cabs at this price point. Backed by the resources and vineyard access of Jackson Family Wines, the blending draws on diverse Sonoma County sites, delivering consistency vintage to vintage. For drinkers who find Napa Cabernet too heavy or extracted, this bottling offers a cooler-climate alternative without sacrificing varietal character.